THE CLAIM: Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo recently shared a video supporting Palestine amid the current war between Israel and Gaza.
AP VERIFICATION: False. The video was published almost seven years ago and in it the footballer was not referring to Palestine, but to children affected by the war in Syria.
THE FACTS: A post shared on Twitter incorrectly states that a few days ago the Portuguese footballer published a video in which he showed his support for the Palestinian cause.
“Ronaldo surprises me more and more off the pitch. And it is not just a statement of support when it is most needed and others are silent, it is his permanent support for the Palestinian cause, so much so that he previously donated 1.5 million euros for Palestinian children. Good,” says the publication that includes a recording in which Cristiano appears speaking.
In the video the soccer star says: “We know they have been suffering a lot. I am a very famous player, but you are the real heroes. Don’t lose your hope. The world is with you. We care. I am with you.”
However, The Associated Press discovered that the video was published on the footballer’s networks. on December 23, 2016. The recording is titled: “A message of hope to children affected by the conflict in Syria @savethechildren.”
The conflict in Syria began in 2011 and in the first 10 years alone it left more than 300,000 civilians dead, according to information from the United Nations (UN).
The conflict began with anti-government protests in cities across Syria in March 2011, with calls for democratic reforms similar to the Arab Spring protests in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya and Bahrain that toppled some. rulers who had been in power for decades.
But it quickly turned into a civil war that left thousands dead and devastated much of the country.
In 2016, when Cristiano recorded the video, the conflict had already been more than five years old.
According to the organization Save the Children, of which Ronaldo was an ambassador at the time, the player also made a “generous donation” to support minors with food, shelter, medical and psychological care.
Regarding the alleged donation of 1.5 million euros for Palestinian children, there are no reports in the media or on the player’s social networks that this has happened recently.
Posts about Ronaldo donating to Palestinian children is not new, in fact; Others have circulated since 2012, but these have never been confirmed by the player or his representatives. On the contrary, in 2019 his then representation agency denied that such a donation had occurred.
2023-10-25 00:02:40
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